Improvement in perforating-staivjps



JOHN L. WIOKERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORATlNG-STAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 189,000, dated March 27, 1877 application filed February 26,1877

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN L. WICKERS, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Canceling-Stamps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a stampcanceler, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawing, which fully illustrates my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section on line m m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom view; and Fig. 4, a view of an envelope, showing stamps canceled by my device.

A represents an ordinary handle, in the lowor end of which is secured a suitable shank, having two parallel arms, B B, projecting therefrom a suitable distance apart. These arms are formed or provided with a circular disk, 0, at their lower ends, said disk being of any proper dimensions.

Around the disk 0 is a collar or sleeve, D, provided on opposite sides with cars, from which rods at a project upward through guides 11 b, formed on or attached to the arms B B. Surrounding these rods a a are spiral springs d d, which force the sleeve downward, so that its lower edge will be below the lower face of the disk 0.

In the disk 0 are inserted two pads, h it, such as are ordinarily used for canceling a postage-stamp by simply defacing the same. Between these pads, in the disk 0, are also inserted three tubular cutters, m m, more or less. These cutters are provided with exterior screw-threads to be screwed into the disk,

and the cutting-edges project below the lower surface of the disk just far enough to cause the cutters, when the instrument is brought forcibly down upon a letter, to cut through the thickness of the stamp, but no more.

When the cutters are properly adjusted the center cutter is held by a jam-nut, a, while the others are held by set-screws p p, as shown.

The stamp-canceler thus constructed operates as follows: The pads h h are inked in the usual manner, and the instrument brought forcibly down upon the stamp, when said pads will deface the stamp the same as ordinarily done, while at the same time the cutters m penetrate the stamp, only leaving one or more circular marks or slits thereon. This completes the canceling ot' the stamp in such a manner that the stamp cannot be used over again, because when the canceled stamp is removed there will be one or more holes in the stamp, and the cut-out parts remain on the letter. 7

As the cutters wear they can easily be sharpened and readjusted.

A shoulder may be formed on each tubular cutter in such a manner as to insure the proper adjustment of the cutter at all times.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the disk 0, attached to the frame B, the sliding spring collar or sleeve 1), the inking-pads h It, and the ci1= cular cutters m m, having exterior screwthreads, all constructed substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. WIOKERS.

Witnesses:

WM. B. UPPERMAN, FRANK GALT. 

